How to Feel Stronger Within Yourself

You're busy. You've got deadlines at work, chores at home and once the family commitments have been met— the time you want and need for yourself seems impossible. If you’re concerned that this way of life isn’t sustainable, there is a way out of the madness.

Maybe you've been curious, or have heard that there are benefits of doing yoga everyday. Actually, there are many branches of yoga that are able to help you create conditions to better support your mental, emotional and physical health. That's exactly what the purpose of yoga is all about.

If you’re new to yoga, the philosophy teaches us that the ‘Chittas Vrttis’ are the spinning thoughts on all the stuff that ultimately sabotages our calm and balance. By redirecting our attention inward towards stillness, we can relax and develop the ability to organize ourselves, our thoughts and relieve our stress.

Maybe you’re a more seasoned yogi and wondering how to improve your yoga practice?

The necessary balance you want is in literally giving yourself a break, expanding practice beyond your mat, and using yoga to calm your nerves.

When we bend and twist our bodies in physical practice, we are using yoga to reduce anxiety. The focus and attention required in doing so, helps us to connect to our triumphs and failures where from a more compassionate perspective. As a result, we can begin to see— there is evidence, a record of complex accomplishment, less stress, revealing the strength and power of who we already are.

Whether on your mat or off of it, if making time for yourself seems impossible, start small —

• Gift yourself five to ten minutes in the morning to sit for a short and meaningful meditation— even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom, before anyone else is awake.

• Pick just one day of the week as a sacred evening for a bubble bath serving triple duty for time in solitude, hygiene and self-care.

• Transition with grace by making a small ritual for when you change activities within your day. Before starting the next activity, take just a few minutes to restore, and sit quietly in gratitude for the energy you are about to spend.

Yoga happens when the heart and mind are settled (Sutra 1:2 Yogas Chittas Vrtti Nirodhaha).

Get still with yourself. Implement a simple yoga practice to gain direct access to the tools of self-awareness, self-care, personal story and experience, for grounding and empowerment within yourself and lifestyle.